Xavier University Athletics
Wednesday, October 21
Cincinnati, Ohio
6 P.M.
Xavier University
vs
Dayton
Volleyball Plays Host to In-State Rival Dayton
10.20.15 | Volleyball
Musketeers look to snap the Flyers 13-game win streak on Wednesday
CINCINNATI – Xavier volleyball plays host to in-state rival Dayton on Wednesday night at Cintas Center. First serve is slated for 6 p.m.
The Musketeers, coming off a 1-1 weekend in BIG EAST action, will look to end non-conference play by snapping the Flyers 13-game win streak. XU enters the match with a 10-9 overall record, while Dayton is 15-5 this season.
• Wednesday's match is "Beach Day" at Cintas Center. The first 200 fans receive sunglasses and koozies. The best "beach" dressed fan will also win a prize.
• Junior Abbey Bessler was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for the third consecutive week on Monday afternoon. The outside hitter averaged 4.12 k/s, totaling 33 kills on the week to go along with 3.00 d/s. The Hebron, Ky., native added a .314 hitting percentage, two service aces and one block.
• This is Bessler's fourth nomination to the Weekly Honor Roll this year (Aug. 31, Oct. 5, Oct. 12) and 11th time for her Xavier career. Bessler also earned BIG EAST Player of the Week honors earlier this season (Sept. 28) and was named Rookie of the Week by the conference twice during her freshman season.
• Sofia Peterson hit .408 in two matches last weekend with 3.00 k/s. The middle blocker has posted 12 kills in three straight matches and has recorded 12 or more in five of her last seven matches. She has hit .316 in her last seven matches with 2.66 k/s.
• Kristen Massa hit .583 last weekend and averaged 3.00 k/s. The sophomore outside hitter posted 16 kills and a .762 attack percentage in the four-set win over Georgetown, the third highest individual hitting percentage in the NCAA this season.
• McKena Estes averaged 7.25 a/s last weekend. The freshman setter ranks 11th in the BIG EAST in assists, averaging 5.40 a/s. In conference only matches, she ranks eighth in service aces (0.31 a/s).
• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in digs (16.25 d/s) and fourth in both assists (11.96 a/s) and kills (13.23 k/s).
• The Musketeers trail the all-time series with Dayton, 51-25. Xavier has dropped five straight in the series and is looking for its first win since Nov. 4, 2011 (3-1 win at Cintas Center).
• The Flyers won the last meeting, 3-2, in Dayton on Sept. 16, 2014. Xavier hit .236 in the loss, while Dayton hit .216. Both schools had 10 blocks in the match.
• Abbey Bessler had a match-high 25 kills in the loss to go along with 13 digs and two service aces. The outside hitter posted a .296 attack percentage.
• In the most recent release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank 41st in the nation in digs per set (16.25 d/s). The Musketeers also rank 40th in team attacks per set (36.95 a/s).
• Abbey Bessler ranks second in the BIG EAST and 47th nationally in attacks per set (11.15 a/s).
• The Musketeers posted a 19-12 overall record last year, the team's 17th straight year with a .500 or above record.
• Xavier has posted a 30-13 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers advanced to the conference tournament in both seasons.
• Xavier players have earned AVCA All-American honors eight times in the last 10 years. Aubree Smith earned the honors last season, while Abbey Bessler picked up the recognition in 2013.
• Junior Abbey Bessler ranks seventh in career points at Xavier with 1,319. She also needs 132 more kills to enter the top-10 in career kills.
• Bessler is 54 digs away from becoming the 12th member of the 1,000 Kills-1,000 Digs Club. Sarah Brown (2010-13) was the last Xavier player to enter the club, finishing her career with 1,076 kills and 1,210 digs.
Pfeffenberger was named head coach on Jan. 29, 2015 after previously serving as the team's associate head coach. All told, she has spent five seasons on the bench as an either an assistant/associate head coach or head coach.
In five years on the Xavier bench, Pfeffenberger has helped the Musketeers post an 85-58 overall record with a 49-24 mark in conference play. XU has also had 12 players earn all-conference honors and two players earn AVCA All-American recognition.
The Musketeers close their homestand on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. against Butler.
The Musketeers, coming off a 1-1 weekend in BIG EAST action, will look to end non-conference play by snapping the Flyers 13-game win streak. XU enters the match with a 10-9 overall record, while Dayton is 15-5 this season.
 | PROMOTIONS |
• Wednesday's match is "Beach Day" at Cintas Center. The first 200 fans receive sunglasses and koozies. The best "beach" dressed fan will also win a prize.
| WEEKLY HONORS: BESSLER |
• Junior Abbey Bessler was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for the third consecutive week on Monday afternoon. The outside hitter averaged 4.12 k/s, totaling 33 kills on the week to go along with 3.00 d/s. The Hebron, Ky., native added a .314 hitting percentage, two service aces and one block.
• This is Bessler's fourth nomination to the Weekly Honor Roll this year (Aug. 31, Oct. 5, Oct. 12) and 11th time for her Xavier career. Bessler also earned BIG EAST Player of the Week honors earlier this season (Sept. 28) and was named Rookie of the Week by the conference twice during her freshman season.
| NOTABLES |
• Sofia Peterson hit .408 in two matches last weekend with 3.00 k/s. The middle blocker has posted 12 kills in three straight matches and has recorded 12 or more in five of her last seven matches. She has hit .316 in her last seven matches with 2.66 k/s.
• Kristen Massa hit .583 last weekend and averaged 3.00 k/s. The sophomore outside hitter posted 16 kills and a .762 attack percentage in the four-set win over Georgetown, the third highest individual hitting percentage in the NCAA this season.
• McKena Estes averaged 7.25 a/s last weekend. The freshman setter ranks 11th in the BIG EAST in assists, averaging 5.40 a/s. In conference only matches, she ranks eighth in service aces (0.31 a/s).
• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST in digs (16.25 d/s) and fourth in both assists (11.96 a/s) and kills (13.23 k/s).
| SERIES HISTORY |
• The Musketeers trail the all-time series with Dayton, 51-25. Xavier has dropped five straight in the series and is looking for its first win since Nov. 4, 2011 (3-1 win at Cintas Center).
| LAST TIME OUT: DAYTON |
• The Flyers won the last meeting, 3-2, in Dayton on Sept. 16, 2014. Xavier hit .236 in the loss, while Dayton hit .216. Both schools had 10 blocks in the match.
• Abbey Bessler had a match-high 25 kills in the loss to go along with 13 digs and two service aces. The outside hitter posted a .296 attack percentage.
| NCAA STAT RANKINGS |
• In the most recent release of the NCAA statistical rankings, the Musketeers rank 41st in the nation in digs per set (16.25 d/s). The Musketeers also rank 40th in team attacks per set (36.95 a/s).
• Abbey Bessler ranks second in the BIG EAST and 47th nationally in attacks per set (11.15 a/s).
| XU VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM |
• The Musketeers posted a 19-12 overall record last year, the team's 17th straight year with a .500 or above record.
• Xavier has posted a 30-13 record in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2013. The Musketeers advanced to the conference tournament in both seasons.
• Xavier players have earned AVCA All-American honors eight times in the last 10 years. Aubree Smith earned the honors last season, while Abbey Bessler picked up the recognition in 2013.
| RECORD WATCH: BESSLER |
• Junior Abbey Bessler ranks seventh in career points at Xavier with 1,319. She also needs 132 more kills to enter the top-10 in career kills.
• Bessler is 54 digs away from becoming the 12th member of the 1,000 Kills-1,000 Digs Club. Sarah Brown (2010-13) was the last Xavier player to enter the club, finishing her career with 1,076 kills and 1,210 digs.
| FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH |
Pfeffenberger was named head coach on Jan. 29, 2015 after previously serving as the team's associate head coach. All told, she has spent five seasons on the bench as an either an assistant/associate head coach or head coach.
In five years on the Xavier bench, Pfeffenberger has helped the Musketeers post an 85-58 overall record with a 49-24 mark in conference play. XU has also had 12 players earn all-conference honors and two players earn AVCA All-American recognition.
| UP NEXT |
The Musketeers close their homestand on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. against Butler.
Players Mentioned
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Setter
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